The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-04-21

Anu pFOuL, anu make the IOllOW1n& eX-
tracts for the benefit of our readers, all of
whom arc intereste3 = what pertains to
1lisf ~ l9slse slI5 *ofk u sks stags
Board of Health and pointing out where
in it has been of valuable service, DR..
Jones says:
We submit, that we have reached point
in our work, which makes an increased
appropriation an absolute necessity-that
we may go on to better things, and suffi-
cient, that our Secretary may devote his
entire time to this one duty; in going from
county to county organizing local boards,
instructing health officers, collecting and
tabulating statistics, visiting districts
threatened with outbreaks of diseases and
epidemics, inspecting our public buildings,
poor houses, jails and stockades; and by
enlarging the circulation of onr Bulletin,
disseminating information tina. will tend
TO promote health and prevent disease
for this responsible place we must have an
officer, fitted by long experience and spe-
clal training, with no other work to divide
his time, nor expecting removal SO long as
he is faithful ard true to his work and
obligations.
Before the flood, the average length
of life of the generations from Adam
to Noah was seven or eight hundred
years. So long, says Josephus, because
they ate food fit for the prolongation of
life, and were beloved of God.
After the flood as man scattered over
the earth he became ignorant, filthy and
forgot God, and the average length Of life
gradually FELL
In tho dave of bo most in bo do rly
ages, it went down to sixteen years.
AS learning revived and knowledge was
disseminated among the people, and the
results of the reformation began to be ac-
complished, the death rate in the same
ratio grew higher, and the length of life
heightened, till in our own time, in Europe
and North America, where sanitary laws
have been observed, the average duration
Of life is about fifty years, and as compared
with the last century, doubled.
The economical value of citizen is va
riously estimated by English and Ameri-
can writer's at from two or three thousand
dollars, which is the estimated difference
between what the citizen produ ;es and
what he costs his family, the community
and the State for his living and education,
dependent upon his age, sex, social posi-
'AOiAs SouAttAOu. CupiOy Lucl1l 1uu ucdlCu.
The aggregate sum total of which is the
social invested capital of the State
NJ. Bertilleon, an eminent statistician
Of France, estimated, in 1888, the typhoid
mortality of twelve large European cities
at 81 for each 10, 900, viz: London, Paris,
Berlin, St. Petersburg, Vienna, Glasco,
Brussels, Copenhagen, Edinburg, Christi
nd dnft Toly +.
average typhoid mortality for all Europe,
with population in round numbers of
about 800, 900, 900 it has fifteen million
cases of sickness and an annual mortuary
loss of one million and five hundred thou
sand deaths from typhoid fever.
Dr. John SimOns, medical officer of
health of the Local Government Board Of
England, gives it as his we'll established
conviction, which is accepted as substan-
TALLY correct by English writer's, that in
each year the deaths in England were fully
1875, 900 more than they would be if exist
ing knowledge Of the chief causes of dis
ease as affecting the masses of the popula-
tion were reasonably we'll applied
Sir James Paget thinks, from the study
of reliable data, that the annual loss of
time by sickness for the entire English
people is one -fortieth of the work done, or
nine days in a year for each woman, man
and child between the ages of 16 and 65
years. This would be an annual loss of
time by sickness for the whole kingdom of
about 20. 900 weeks at $500 per week,
an annual money loss of 800, 600, 900,
Lot counting cost of sickness
This distinguished sanitarian further
says, that annually there are 90, 600 cases
of typhoid fever with 1000 deaths in
England and Wales, and from this disease
alone estimating the sickness at 10 weeks
duration we have an annual loss of $50,
900 weeks work, not counting the loss by
deaths from this disease alone.
Let us now make some enquiries as to
the cost of sickness and death, as it affects
the financial condition of our own country.
Our estimates can only be comparative,
and the study of one disease must serve
our purpose to-day. We select typhoid
fever, because it is common to all countries,
the heavy mortuary tax it lays; its known
nature and its decrease and disappearance
| as pure water IS supplied, and excreta and
filth is removed Consequently the loss
which it represents can be almost entirely
| prevented as has been done in many other
| preventable diseases, by proper sanitary
measures.
| In our estimate, we shall consider the
duration of each case of sickness at thirty
days, the cost of nursing at one dollar =
day, the cost of medical attention and
medicine at three dollars day, the loss Of
wages at one dollar day, the loss by
death Of citizen at two thousand dollars
and his burial expenses fifteen dollars
making the loss of one case of typhoid
fever from sick, one hundred and tifty
dollars; and in case of death, the loss o
the citizen and burial expenses, two thou
sand and fifteen dollars; making the sun
total for sickness and death of twenty ont
hundred and sixty five dollars.
We find the average mortality of tn,
United States to be about the same as tha
| of Europe, five deaths to each ten thou
people, annually.
Assuming that the population of thu
! United States has been fifty millions 70
the last ten years. it has lost by deatl
annually two hundred and fifty thousan,
of its citizens, and, if ten recoveries t
each death, two million i've hundre,